INSURGENTS ATTACK US AFGHAN BASE

Six suicide bombers attacked the base and three detonated their vests when surrounded, Nato officials said.

Afghan officials said at least 13 militants died in the attack, including six suicide bombers.

Nato offered a slightly different account, saying three suicide bombers detonated their vests and three more were shot dead. Nato said seven attackers in total were killed.

The militants failed to gain entry to Camp Salerno in Khost city after launching waves of attacks just before midnight on Monday, said Arsallah Jamal, the governor of Khost.

The base is just a few miles from the border with Pakistan.

The attack came one day after a suicide bomber outside the same base killed 10 civilians and wounded 13 others.

Soldiers on the ground, fighter aircraft and helicopters pursued the retreating militants.

Militants have long targeted US bases with suicide bombers, but co-ordinated attacks on such a major base are rare.

More than 3,400 people - mostly militants - have been killed in insurgency-related violence this year, according to an Associated Press count based on figures from Western and Afghan officials.